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Flint residents invited to share priorities for city park improvements

Work is part of a $20 million Mott Foundation centennial initiative

Flint Area

A blue metal bench sits on a concrete pad in the foreground, facing an empty playground with slides, climbing structures, swings, and gravel surfacing under leafy trees.
Windiate Park (pictured above), also known as Pengelly Park, is one of the 42 Flint parks included in the voting list. Flint residents can share their priorities on up to three parks. Photo: Brittany Greeson

Flint, Michigan — To help celebrate 100 years of working alongside its hometown of Flint, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation is inviting residents to help shape the future of their city parks. Through an online site, residents can vote on which parks should be improved and what they’d like to see in them.

Residents can share priorities for up to three city parks at mott.org/parks. The deadline to share feedback is June 6. Residents who prefer to share their priorities in person can do so at the Mott Foundation Centennial Family Fun Days on Saturday, June 6, from noon to 6 p.m. on the Flint Cultural Center campus.

“Flint residents know their neighborhoods and their parks better than anyone, and it’s important to us that residents have a real say in how they’re improved,” said Ridgway White, president and CEO of the Mott Foundation. “We’re grateful to everyone who takes the time to share their ideas for making Flint’s parks even better.”

This community input opportunity is part of the Mott Foundation’s broader commitment to improving and activating outdoor spaces for Flint children and families.

In February, the Foundation committed up to $20 million to improve playgrounds and parks throughout Flint as part of its centennial celebration. The first phase of that grantmaking directed more than $7 million to Flint Community Schools to upgrade playgrounds at five elementary schools. The Foundation launched its online voting platform today to inform the next phase of the initiative, focused on parks.

This is about more than improving spaces — it’s about uplifting families, creating opportunities for connection, and building a future our children can be proud of. By ensuring residents have a voice in the design and development of these projects, we are creating spaces that truly belong to the community and reflect the heart and spirit of Flint.” Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley

“The Mott Foundation has been standing with our community for 100 years — walking alongside our residents through both challenges and triumphs. As they mark this milestone, their $20 million investment in our parks and playgrounds reflects a continued commitment to the people of Flint and the strength of our neighborhoods,” said Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley. “This is about more than improving spaces — it’s about uplifting families, creating opportunities for connection, and building a future our children can be proud of. By ensuring residents have a voice in the design and development of these projects, we are creating spaces that truly belong to the community and reflect the heart and spirit of Flint.”

Residents can choose from a list of potential projects created for each park or submit their own ideas about play equipment, features for senior citizens, public art, seating for community gatherings and more. The city of Flint and Keep Genesee County Beautiful had already gathered helpful input from Flint residents, which was used as a jumping-off point for lists of potential projects.

The Mott Foundation will work with the city, Genesee County Parks and other partners to evaluate the feasibility of any new suggestions submitted.

“We all know that parks and public spaces are the backbones of our community,” said Patrick Linihan, director of the Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission. “They are places where we socialize, live healthy and active lifestyles, and recharge from the hecticness of daily life. This commitment solidifies what we already know — parks bring people together.”

Questions about the community input process can be directed to parksandplaygrounds@mott.org or 810-238-5651. To learn more about the Mott Foundation’s centennial initiatives, visit mott.org/100.

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